BRANDING WORKFLOW

First things first. I am often 4-6 weeks out on new projects, so to get on the “list” I will meet with you or talk on the phone to get a better idea of your project, then I will work up a quote which will require approval and a 35% deposit to save your spot in line. It really depends on the month as to when I can start work. Sometimes it’s quicker. But in the meantime I will have some homework for you!

STEP 1: DISCOVERY

Even before I go to the proverbial drawing board, the first step is listening, understanding and getting a feel for your business and what we hope to accomplish with the brand. I need to translate things like your mission, vision and perhaps a dream into something not just concrete, but also profitable and memorable.

At the payment of your deposit and contract signing I will provide you with a creative brief to fill out so in the meantime you can do some digging into the how’s and why’s of your company. I want to know what makes your company tick and where perhaps it needs a little more love. Often it’s assumed that once I am hired, I will do all the work for you. However, your piece in the puzzle in integral for a successful outcome.

If you have an existing brand, I look to find out what your current strategies are, what is or isn’t working, and what you believe the current public perception of the company is. I also provide my feedback that includes research on the competition and current visual identity to create a brand profile.

This step is crucial in the design process.

BEFORE

downtown sheridan association - before logo

AFTER

downtown sheridan association - new logo
logo mockups product mockups

STEP 2: DESIGN PHASE

After the research phase, I will go over the data from the questionnaire as well as notes from our meeting and come up with a plan that will find the sweet spot between client satisfaction and efficiency in real world applications.

In this step I will start the design process. I develop a variety of initial concepts (usually in the ballpark of 4) as as starting point to present to you. This is the fun and creative part where I work to come up with exciting representations of your ideas coupled with mine. I like to present the concepts in real world applications so it’s easier to see how the brand would display itself. Think stationary, t-shirts/hats or signage. I will explain my ideas and what is behind the designs in order to keep you up to date and in approval of the creation process.

This is the point where I will need as much specific feedback as possible to build a visual representation of your ideas and style that will eventually become the face of your business. I will ask you to describe you love, what you want to see more of, and what you would rather not pursue. Communication that is open and specific will pave the way for a brand that you are proud of and want to show off.

I hope throughout the process we both learn a little bit from each other and if I don’t believe a certain element is likely to be successful for you I will voice that as I ALWAYS want my clients to leave me with a successful product. However, the final word is always yours.

STEP 3: REFINEMENT
(DRAFTS & REVISIONS)

For the initial design concepts I prefer to present the logos in black only. This forces the eye to focus on how the design functions ONLY. It’s easy for our eye to be drawn to certain color combos but ignore the functionality of the design.

After choosing a concept (or two) to move forward on comes an important phase of the project, which is refinement. Similar to a river, the ideas ebb and flow here, often expanding, growing or narrowing and evolving. The often raw and undefined at the beginning begins to develop into a concise form all its own.

In this step is I work on changing colors, patterns, fonts, sizes, shapes, styles and more to insure a variety of options for you to choose from. I also start developing the visual identity to coordinate with the logo, so that your brand can be recognized consistently in all mediums and without needing to see the logo directly. This means coming to a concise set of colors, fonts, icons, patterns and variations.

Keep in mind that the design process is collaborative. All feedback has value and I welcome it. Surprisingly it makes my job much harder if you don’t express what you like or dislike.

BEFORE

mossholders logo - before 3 willow

AFTER

mossholders logo - after 3 willow
logo mockups product mockups

STEP 4: LAUNCH & FINAL FILE PREP

This phase is where I polish up your baby (a.k.a. your brand!) into an exciting package. I go about cleaning up any design elements that are out of place, refine lines, typography and more. I will create all the file formats that you will need to forge ahead in the “stream” of business with your new look. Depending on the package you chose, I create not only your primary logo, but alternate variations to be used in lieu of your primary logo when appropriate (social media profiles, stamps, stickers, etc) to give your brand more flexibility as well as reverse options, social media icons and custom patterns and textures.

Then there is the old adage – “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” I could simply give you all these items and chances are you may not know where to use them or how to implement them and keep them consistent. So I also teach you this in the form of a branding manual. Having a successful brand is a continuous and consistent process. The brand manual outlines the entire visual style, rules and imagery so that you won’t lose the ability to fish for, and HOOK, your clients. It’s important to learn to live your brand in all aspects of your business.

All the correct files and visual materials will be presented to you so you and your new brand can be presented to the world!

DESIGN SAMPLES

STRONG BRANDS

Memorable, professional design fosters trust and credibility with your customers. Many of today’s successful brands are remembered with just a color, shape or graphic. With all the visual clutter in today’s world, it’s more important than ever to cut through all of that with a powerful brand design. It’s my goal to make sure your new brand design envelopes all that your business stands for in order to appeal to the right clients for your business.

the paint post

EXCELLENT RESULTS

With over 15 years of professional design experience and a multitude of satisfied clients, don’t trust this vital part of your business to a hobbyist or DIY’er. When the time comes to make a choice, your client needs to think of you. I can help you define, produce and execute a successful brand from the ground up or re-design of an existing brand that isn’t getting the results you hoped for. Hop on over to my portfolio to check out what I have done for other clients.

INVESTMENT

Everyone wants to know the bottom line of course in terms of investment. There are a lot of variables that go into my pricing from a basic logo design starting at $850 for smaller start-ups to a complete and comprehensive branding experience starting at $4500 that involves all you could need to rebrand or establish a new brand from the ground up that includes a lot of work developing your brand voice and personality. Please contact me for complete pricing.